Table 4 Association of exclusive breastfeeding and various individual, household-level, and socio-demographic factors with fever^a in South Asia

Infant age (months)

 0–2

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

 3–4

1.52 (1.02, 2.26)*

1.60 (1.09, 2.34)*

1.84 (1.60, 2.11)**

1.56 (1.09, 2.22)*

 5–6

1.83 (1.24, 2.71)*

2.11 (1.40, 3.19)**

1.95 (1.69, 2.25)**

2.29 (1.57, 3.34)**

Gender

 Male

Ref

Ref

 Female

0.75 (0.56, 0.99)*

0.90 (0.81, 1.01)

Mother’s age in years

 15–19

Ref

Ref

 20–29

0.67 (0.55, 0.82)**

0.67 (0.38, 1.18)

 30–39

0.58 (0.45, 0.74)**

0.63 (0.35, 1.13)

 40–49

0.43 (0.24, 0.80)*

0.44 (0.16, 1.19)

Maternal education

 No education

Ref

Ref

 Primary

1.13 (0.93, 1.38)

1.84 (1.13, 3.01)*

 Secondary

1.07 (0.91, 1.24)

2.30 (1.47, 3.61)**

 Higher

0.86 (0.69, 1.08)

0.88 (0.46, 1.68)

Mother’s employment

 Not working

Ref

Ref

 Working

1.33 (0.98, 1.81)

2.02 (1.14, 3.61)*

Type of residence

 Urban

Ref

 Rural

0.92 (0.77, 1.10)

Household size (members)

 1–4

 5–8

 9 + 

Wealth index

 Poorest

Ref

Ref

 Poorer

0.87 (0.74, 1.03)

1.11 (0.65, 1.92)

 Middle

0.87 (0.72, 1.05)

0.72 (0.43, 1.22)

 Richer

0.65 (0.53, 0.81)**

0.87 (0.49, 1.55)

 Richest

0.53 (0.41, 0.70)**

0.52 (0.27, 1.01)

Source of drinking water

 Improved

 Unimproved

Type of toilet facility

 Improved

Ref

Ref

 Unimproved

0.83 (0.58, 1.20)

1.18 (1.05, 1.33)*

Number of ANC visits

 None

Ref

Ref

 1–3

1.51 (1.09, 2.08)*

0.85 (0.68, 1.08)

 4 or more

1.99 (1.28, 3.08)*

0.73 (0.58, 0.92)*

Place of delivery

 Home

Ref

 Health facility

0.84 (0.71, 1.00)

Exclusive breastfeeding

 No

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

 Yes

0.36 (0.26, 0.50)**

0.74 (0.51, 1.06)

0.75 (0.67, 0.84)**

0.79 (0.59, 1.07)